SunriseSunset
by LaneWolf
Summary: This is my 1st and last DC fic. It's the way I would handle the series ending. I have this theory...All great shows end with a wedding...the question is whose? Now Complete! Enjoy!
1. Prolouge: Darkness

A/N: This is my first and last DC fic. It's the way I would handle the Series Finale...as all great shows should end...with a wedding...........but whose? 

This scene would take place at the end of the Season 6 Finale.

Prolouge: Darkness

The night glittered with stars as Josephine Potter looked out over the creek. The water moved in easy ripples as it reflected the sliver of a moon the dark surface. Joey looked down briefly at the letter she turned over and over inher hands. She sighed and pushed her haid behind her ear and look out the window again. 

"Hi." Bessie said quietly from behind her. "You're up late."

"I know." Joey held up the letter. "Couldn't sleep."

"It's a great oppurtunity, Jo."

"I know."

"Once in a lifetime."

"I know."

"All the drama'd still be here when you get back."

She hesitated, and looked across the creek again. "I know."

  
  


Across town Pacey Witter bundled his fishing gear into the beach house he'd managed to keep after he'd left his job as a selling stocks. It was in his sister's name, and paid for so no one could take it. He noticed the light on the machine flashing and pushed play. He stopped cold when he heard her voice, airy, sad, hopeful all at once.

"Pace, if you're there pick up?" She paused as if waiting for him. "Pacey?" Her tone was pained enough to make him wish he'd been home. "I guess you're not there. Listen, I was an ass, Pace."

"I know." Pacey mumbled to himself.

"But, well, there's something that's come up."

"I know." He sighed thinking about the manuscript he'd read.

"Pace, I really need to talk to you. I miss you."

"I know." He sighed again, closing his eyes against the heartache the threatened to overwhelm him. When he opened them again, he shouldered back into his jacket.

  
  


Just across the creek from Joey, Dawson Leery fed his sister pancakes and glanced out the window briefly.

"She's home." Gayle Leery said as she spread jelly over a bagel.

"I know."

"She's called several times."

"I know."

"She won't always be just across the creek, Dawson."

"I know." Dawson pushed away from the table and sighed as he pushed through the screendoor and headed for the Potter B&B.

"Hi." Pacey nodded at the boy he'd grown up with, the friend who'd been like brother until they'd fallen for the same girl. Namely, one Josephine Potter.

"Pacey." Dawson nodded.

"So she called you too?"

"Message with my mom."

"Ah, classic."

Dawson chuckled and shrugged at his oldest friend. "Any idea what this is about?"

"Well, I kno--"

Joey cut him off as she opened the door and invited the pair inside.

"Hi." She said to both of them. "Thanks for coming over."

"You knew we would." Pacey and Dawson say in chorus and chuckle. Joey on the other hand backed up against the kitchen counter and prepared for the onslaught.

  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  



	2. SUNRISE

A/N: This installment takes place six years after Joey meets Dawson and Pacey at the B&B...

SUNRISE, Monday

Joey Potter took her time tapping out the last few lines of editor's notes before she saved, closed her laptop and gathered her carry on from the overhead bin. She smoothed the skirt of her suit and rolled her head from side to side. She stepped into the aisle to grab her jacket when a hand reach over and snatched it from her hand. "Tense, Ms. Potter?" She turned around a tart reply already on her lips when the voice hit her. 

"Jack?" She said, her eyes wide. "Hi! My God it's been what?"

"Six years, Jo. How was London?"

"It _is _great. I'm still there and I _love _it. Wow. You look great." The strangeness of seeing him struck her. "You live here in New York—right?"

"Yeah, I'm coming back from vacation. So you're still with Random House?"

"Ah. Yes." The pair walked from the gate to the baggage claim. "You headed back to Capeside for the Wedding?"

"Wedding?"

"Jen's wedding on Saturday."

"Ah. Well, that's a long story."

"If I miss my flight I can always stay at your place." Joey said as Jack picked up the bag she pointed at.

"True. Let's find lunch."

"Right."

"I know this great place—you'll love it, it's like a piece of home."

  
  


In Capeside, Pacey took a short break from beating eggs to test the sauce simmering on the back burner of the stove. Mild mannered resturaunt by day, _Witter's Supper Club,Capeside_ transformed itself into a hip, coffee house/concert hall by night. Catering weddings and hosting most of Capeside's social events left Pacey with little time to have much of a life. Putting the tasting spoon in the sink as he passed it, he walked into the dining room to check on his servers. "Make sure all the salad plates are out and cold, Gene."

"Sure, thing, Boss."

Pacey looked around at the well oil machine known to locals as simply _Witter's_ and smiled only a tad melancholy. "Penny for your thoughts." A female voice inquired from behind.

Pacey turned to face Jen and smile broadly. "My thoughts aren't worth that much." He said gathering her in for a hug.

  
  


Dawson Leery turned an ivory card over and over in his hand. He looked down at the name there and wondered about this History teacher Jen had decided to marry. He smiled hoping the guy understood what he was getting into. He picked up the phone next to his laptop and dialed. "Mom." He waited for her to finish her surprised speech. "Yeah, I was just wondering if you could call Jen and let her know I'll be able to make it to the wedding after all." He grinned when she gasped her joy filled shrieks could be heard a mile away. Dawson pulled a small box out of his pocket and sighed. Nearly thrity, and he had very few regrets. Most of those he stored away were in some way or another about Josephine Potter. Snapping the box closed, Dawson said good-bye to his mother and hung up to dial his travel agent.

  
  


"So the vegetables are coming in tomorrow, the salmon will be here on Thursday, the cake will be iced and the bar is set to be tended." Pacey smiled at Jen. "Are you sure about this guy?" he asked.

"Have you _seen_ him, Pace?" He grunted. "He's handsome, intellgent, gracious, and totally crazy about me." Pacey grunted and shrugged at Jen. 

"Pacey, I love you, but you're just not a spiritual enough person."

"Thank God." Pacey winked.

"Blasphemy will get you nowhere, Witter."

"Don't I know it." He raised a brow at her. "Look where it got Jack."

"Not open for debate, Mr. Witter."

"So just because this Holy Roller hates Jack..."

She held up a hand to cut him off. "Gary doesn't hate Jack anymore than I do; we love Jack. We disagree with his lifestyle."

"Love the sinner hate the sin."

"Precisely. Besides which he was really nasty to me when I confronted him about it."

"Jen, you used to be the guys biggest ally. Now you're sleeping with the enemy."

"Pacey, do we really have to talk about this?"

"When does Audrey's flight get in?" Jen asked watching him closely for a reaction.

"Ten. Why?"

"She staying at Potter's?"

"Yeah, in Joey's room." His face fell at Joey's name.

Jen shrugged. "Well I gotta go, Grams needed me to do something with birdseed and tulle..."

"Sounds like a party." Pacey replied with just a hint of sarcasm.

"Later, Pace." She turned. "Don't forget your tux fitting tomorrow at 12:45."

He nodded as he swung through the kitchen doors and out of sight.

  
  


Dawson's plane was late arriving, but his mother was waiting with Lily at the gate. He looked at her, and despite the tired eyes and slightly slumped shoulders Gaye Leery looked better than she had in months. Lily jumped up at the sight of her brother. Without a thought, without hesitation she launched herself at the man who'd become her hero.

"Hey big brother." She smile hugely at him. 

"Hi!" he said catching her lithe 9 year old frame. "Wow, you've grown!" he said looking past her to his mother who was walking toward the baggage claim. When they stopped in front of the carosel he heard a voice he recognized immediately.

"No, I don't think you _do_ understand, lady. I'm the maid of honor in a wedding on Saturday, and that bag has the tickets for the honeymoon flight in it." Joey paused briefly to breathe, and Dawson cut in.

"Joey, you didn't!" Joey looked up and saw Dawson's face, but is presence still didn't quiet register. 

"I did and Jen's gonna kill me...well not that she actually knew what I was getting her, but since she said they couldn't afford a honeymoon I just got a little—DAWSON?" Her eyes were like saucers when she looked up at him again. 

"Please, don't stop your nuerotic babbling on my account." He smiled. "Hey!"

"Hey." she shook her head. "I'm sorry I'm just over stressed by this whole Maid of Honor responsibilty."

"Wow, did you and Jen keep in touch?"

"Yeah, she actually came over to see me a couple of times, and we email each other constantly."

"Really?" When sho nodded he grinned. "Well, it's good to see you, Jo. I gues I'll see you at the wedding."

"Right." She said sqeezing his arm quickly as he walked away. Joey turn her attention back to the women and the task at hand. Taking a deep breath, she asked if she could possibly look at any uncliamed baggage from her flight. When the woman nodded she smiled. _Finnally! _ Her mind screamed and her feet sang.

  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  



	3. SUNSET

SUNSET, Monday

"Lady at table G4 says her salad was wilted and her steak is overdone." Pacey grumbled under his breath for several seconds before taking the plate, dumping the food and starting the order over. 

"Tell her the owner will see to her meal personally and bring it right out."

"Sure thing, Pace." The waiter said bakcing out the door and heading for the right table.

_What a night!_ Pacey groaned in his head.

"Hey, Witter!" Pacey's head shot up at the familiar voice. 

"Leery." He nodded. "Here for the wedding I assume?"

"Yep." Dawson shoved his ever growing mane of golden locks out of his face. "How've you been?"

"Good, really really good."

"Wow, seriously?"

"Yeah." Pacey nodded again and watched a vague shadow pass over his friend's face. "What's up, Dawson?"

"Nothing. I guess."

"That look—that's not 'nothing', man."

"I don't know, thinking about this wedding—it's just brought back some memories."

Pacey turned his head abruptly. "I know." He mumbled staring out at the passers-by on the street outside.

Dawson shook his head and shrugged. "I'll see you, Pace." he said walking toward the door.

"Yeah, later." Pacey responded without looking away from the window.

  
  


Not far away Joey Potter sat watching the sunset light the creek a firey orange. She'd been sitting quietly thinking for over an hour when Jen sighed and plopped down beside her. "I am so full—I could burst." Jen rubbed her full stomaqch lightly.

"Gary's really great, Jen." She looked at the blonde sitting next to her. "I can't believe you two met a church of all places, Lindley."

"I know, but after a while Grams got me to go with her." She shrugged remembering. "At first I was going to get Grams off my back and then I met Gary. Then I was going to church to see him, next thing I know, something _clicks_ something just fell into place and I was suddenly whole. And that was before Gary and I went on the first date. It was just like Grams had been telling me for years. All the hard questions in my life were easier to answer. All the burdens easier to carry—I'm sharing the load with a pretty big guy." Jen smiled lifting her eyes heavenward.

"Ever missing your hell raising days?"

"Everyday." Jen chuckled.

"Jen, you didn't tell Dawson or Pacey I was coming to the wedding did you?"

"Not exactly."

"Jen." Joey let her voice rise and fall abruptly.

"I know, but I wanted it to be a big surprise."

"Well, Dawson knows and he probably told Pacey so your sursprise is ruined."

"I doubt Dawson said a word to Pacey."

"Of course he did." Joey turned to lookat Jen in the brightening moonlight. "Those two are thick as theives again. At least that's what Dawson said when he visited." She shrugged and seeing Jen start to speak she spoke, "And what both Gayle and Bessie said when I talked to them."

"Dawson came to visit you and you didn't tell me?" Jen was visibly shaken by this new information.

"Yeah, he came to see me when his show was filming in Whales."

"Joey!" 

"What?"

"Details."

"None to give, Lindley." She shrugged. "He was in London three days, then he was gone."

"Wow. And there was no drama, no sob story, no woe is me and my aching heart?"

"Nope. He was every bit the gentleman—the platonic gentleman and then he was gone."

"Pacey didn't visit and you're conviently forgetting to tell me?"

"No, I haven't see Pacey in six years. Not since I moved to London."

"When are you coming back to the states?"

Joey climbed to her feet and sighed. "I have an offer to take a good job in the New York office—Or possibly DC."

"Jo! That's great!"

"I haven't decided yet, Jen." Joey shrugged and grinned her crooked little grin. "I love London. I love being thousands of miles from home and all the drama that goes with Capeside."

"Running from it won't make the drama disappear."

"I know, but if I'm not here it doesn't involve me."

"No, you just don't get a voice in it."

"Ugh!" Joey grunted and pulled Jen to her feet. "So tell me, O Wise One, should I go and see Pacey, or let him find out on his own?"

Jen shrugged. "Let Him," she looked up, "decide."

Joey nodded, threw an arm around Jen and the pair walked toward Potter's. "Well, I hope those too don't get their hopes up—I already have a date for the wedding."

Jen raised a brow. "Do tell."

"Well, he's gorgeous, smart, built like a Greek god..."

"Sounds ideal."

"Yep, he is that." Joey nodded, smiled and closed the door behind her.

"JOEY!" she heard her name peeling through the B&B at an alarming volume just as she saw Audrey round the corner out of hall. Seconds later she was laughing, and desperately trying to get out from under her former roomate who'd just tackled her.

"I see motherhood had mellowed you none, Audrey."

"Of course not, Josephine." Audrey's aquamarine eyes danced.

"No, I think I'm the only one who's mellowed." Came a rich baritone from behind Joey. 

"Jason. Hi." Joey said crossing th room to embrace Audrey's husband. "It's been forever since I've seen you two and where is Deliah?"

"She was tired from the trip. It's only been two years, Josephine, and you know airplanes go both ways right?"

"I know, but LA's just not a place I ever want to go to again."

Audrey watched the shadow crawl over Joey's face and file it away for a late conversation.

"Listen people," Jen called over the din of individual conversations. "These two have a dress fitting tomorrow and the rest of you will be making birdseed bags for the reception. So it's a big day—BED!"

  
  


A/N: Cross your fingers and maybe you'll get the next chapter tomorrow—Pacey finds out Joey's home.


	4. SUNRISE

A/N: The song is "Crowded Room" by an amazing band called ADELAYDA. If you haven't heard of them you might be able to download the song from kazaa or something like it—it's worth the try.

SUNRISE, Tuesday

Joey woke up to her sister's insistent voice. "Joey! C'mon, I need you to drive Alex into to to pick up stuff for dinner!"

"Make the kid walk!"

"Joey!"

"Fine!" Joey yelled throwing the covers back and putting her feet on the floor.

Alex and Joey closed the doors to the truck and stood in front of Witter's Supper Club. Alex walked through the front door and called the hostess by name. Half the waitstaff seemed to know the ten year old. Joey stood behind her nephew and soaked up the simple, homey décor. It brough back so mane memories of The IceHouse that she had to smile. Suddenly she remebered and her eyes met the twinkling in Alex's eyes. "His day off."

"hmm?" Joey questioned with a raised brow. 

"Oh," the hostesses nodded. "Mr. Witter takes Tuesdays off."

"But he's here today-- meeting the bride for that wedding." A passing waiter put in.

"Oh! Well, wanna see him, miss?"

"No!" Joey all but yealled over her shoulder as she dragged Alex out the front door.

"Wimp." The young boy accused.

"Yeah." Joey confirmed.

"Chicken."

"_Bock-bock."_

"It's all right you'll see him at the rehearsal dinner for sure—he's a groomsman."

"Of course." Joey nodded climbing back in the truck. "I have to shower then meet Jen for my dress fitting."

Alex looked back across the street and Joey followed his gaze. 

Back inside the waiter who'd said Pacey was in the kitchen returned to the hostess's booth. "He's not here. Tell her I'm sorry, but the show went late and he cancelled his morning meeting."

the Hostess shrugged. "She left." 

  
  


Pacey Witter rolled out of bed groaning. His back and legs screamed from standing through the Adelayda show at Witter's the night before. The up and coming band had brought the house down with their first song and continued to rock for over three hours. After another hour of hand shaking and album signing it had been nearly 2 am before Pacey could lock up. He sighed standing at the window wearing only his PJ pants. He looked toward the water and watched as golden rays bounced off its surface. He turned the CD case over and over in his hand. One of the more popular songs the band had played ran through his head. The lyrics brought back so many memories from his years as Capesides High School Bad boy—and the years he'd spent loving the elusive Josephine Potter. He put the CD in and skipped to track 3 before stripping of his PJ pants and heading for the shower.

_Two heads on a pillow sharing the night_

_There's nothing I can do or sing now, _

_Nothing's gonna make this right_

_God knows I want to hold you until night turns into day._

_But I can't even touch you—you're so far away..._

_And I see you and me together_

_Living in a crowded room for two._

_I see you and me together,_

_living a crowded room...for two._

_So tear down the walls now_

_You can let me in_

_You should know that I won't hurt you--_

_I'm not like him._

_I see you and me together_

_Living in a crowded room for two._

_I see you and me together,_

_living a crowded room...for two._

_Ypu can believe you mean the world to me..._

_That's how we seem...I can't let it go...._

_I see you and me together_

_Living in a crowded room for two._

_I see you and me together,_

_living a crowded room..Living in a crowded room..._

_We're livin in crowded room--_

The CD continued into the next song, but Pacey heard little of hit as the shower washed away some of his melancholy. Half an hour later he headed toward Formalities for his tux fitting.

  
  


"Dawson! Wait up, man." Pacey called and saw the slightly younger man halt and smile a wlecome.

"Hey, Pace, what's up."

"Tux fitting." pacey rolled his eyes. 

  
  


Jen and Joey turned the corner headed towards Formalities when Joey stopped in her tracks. Looking ahead Jen shook her head, "Joey."

"Jen, _this_ is not how Pacey needs to find out I'm home."

Jen sighed and pulled Joey into the video store. "Right."

Joey watched intently and Dawson and Pacey strolled by them laughing and talking alternately about a movie they'd both hated. The connection between them was there again and it made her heart leap for joy and ache uncontrollably to see them that way. Watching the men round the corner Joey stepped out of the video store. "Let's get this dress fitted."

"Let's." Jen agreed.

"You will love the dress." Jen said with a smile. "Every one else will be in these, she held up a sleek dress whose middle section was swath of beautiful cerulean fabric.

"Jen." Joey sadi wondering what her dress looked like.

"And You'll be in this one..." Jen held up a cerulean dress cut in the same sleek lines as the others and sparsely beaded in vibrant orange, yellow and pink. 

"Jen, it's gorgeous." Joey reached out to touch the fabric. 

"C'mon." 

  
  


The nexthing she knew, Joey was letting the sales lady zip the top of the dress. For a moment she simply stood there admiring the simplicity of the cut and the intricacies of the scant beading. She ran a hand through her hair before swinging the door open and stepping out—and right into Pacey Witter.

"Sorry." She looked up—going from apologetic to stunned in no time at all.

"Jo?" for a moment Pacey thought he'd been thinking about her so often that he was hallucinating her now.

"Pace?"

Smiles broke across their faces like rays of sun after a dark storm. They walked into a fierce embrace.

"Hi," she said still hugging him.

"Hi, yourself." He echoed not wanting to let her go.

_They look a pair_ Jen though watching her beautiful Maid of Honor and the handsome groomsman cling to one another. 

"Should I have that dress fitted to accommodate both of you?" Jen joked sweetly.

Pacey ran a hand down Joey's hair and she trembled at the touch of his hands as they continued down her arms to her hands. He stepped back smiling as still holding her hands.

"Hi." she repeated herself.

He leaned closed to her face and smiled. "We already covered that."

"You're still beautiful." He said quietly as he straightened up and looked her over.

"Six years and you're still trying to charm me."

"Is it working?" he grinned. She just smiled in answer. "So, you're the Mystery Maid?"

She turned and looked at Jen and rolling her eyes turned back to Pacey. "I guess so."

"I'm an usher."

"Groomsman." Joey correted with another roll of her eyes.

Pacey nodded at the salesman who was bringing his tux over. "Oh, dinner!" Pacey said loudly and surprised himself.

" What is a late afternoon or early evening meal!" Joey cried with a chuckle.

"Funny, Potter."

"I want you to see--"

"The Supper Club."

"Yeah."

"Alex and I had to pick up the fish for dinner at the B&B tonight. It's amazing, Pace."

"Ah, so Bessie's at it allright then?"

"Did she ever stop?"

"No. But i would love to have dinner with you."

"Good." he said starting to slide past her. Then he stopped. "I've missed you, Jo."

"7?" She smiled up at him.

"7." he nodded.

  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  



	5. SUNSET

SUNSET, Tuesday

Joey dressed with her usual careless flair for fashion. At 6:45 she walked out the front door and into Dawson Leery's path. "Hey." She smiled.

"Find your bag?"

"What?" she looked at him, confused.

"The bag you were looking for at the airport?"

"Oh, yeah. It turns out a sweet old woman got my bag confused with hers." She shook her head and start walking toward her car. "Everything's back on track now."

"Really?" Dawson asked. The sun slid down the sky a fiery red ball.

"Yeah." She looked at Dawson with that famous _What is it you realy want to say? _Look. "What's up, Dawson?"

"Where're you headed?"

"Witter's Supper Club." The name of place made her smile it was so Pacey in a twisted way.

"Pacey."

"Yeah, we're having dinner to catch up—you should come with me." Hse watched his face twist oddly in the quickly dying light.

"Somehow I doubt Pacey would like that idea."

"We're not back to _this _again are we?" 

"I don't know, I guess that depends on you, Joey."

"I have no intention of starting this juvenile triangle all over again, Dawson." She sighed and pushed her hair behind an ear. "Especially--" she stopped realizing she'd been thinking out loud.

"'Especially' what, Joey?" Dawson stepped in front of the driver's door of Joey's car.

"'Especially'" she shook her head "Not after I saw the two of you together this morning. It was a sight I've missed, Dawson. You're friends and if I can't be a friend to both of you," she looked out over the creek that burned in its reflection of the sunset and took a deep breath. "I don't want to be anything else to either of you." She lifted a hand to his shoulder and squeezed. "This is supposed to be the easy part, you know after all the hormonal sexual tension is gone. After we've all grown up a little and moved on. Right?"

"Right." Dawson agreed and reached behind his back to open her door for her. 

"Thanks." She smiled crookedly.

"Sure." Dawson nodded looking at the rose he'd dropped. She put the car in reverse and crushed it under tires as she drove off to meet Pacey.

A few miles down the road, Joey pulled over fighting the urge to turn around and run back to Dawson. She wanted to be sure everything was okay. She wanted to rid them of the weird tension that had plagued them for so long. Instead she sighed and looked down at her clock. She shook her head realizing she was already late.

  
  


Fifteen minutes later she was watching Pacey stand at the door of the kitchen finishing off last minute notes for his cook. _He looks so at home. This placed is his—so much of him is here you can feel it._ Joey marveled looking around at the knick-knacks displayed in a huge book shelf. The Salt water aquarium held many of the creatures they'd seen we they'd been snorkeling in the Florida Keys over their summer together. The memories made her smile. She turned to see Capeside High memoribilia adorning another wall. Her smile faded as she noted several pictures from both her junior and senior proms. The nightmare soap operas those had been came back with stunning clarity and none to minimal pain. 

"Yeah, the stuff from the Keys definitely holds the better memroies." A familiar baritone intruded her reverie.

"Yeah. I guess it does." She turned to smile at him. "I was going to apologize for being late, but you seem to be running even later than I am." 

"I stopped counting minutes years ago." He said waling toward a spacious and empty booth.

"This place is great, Pace." She looked around with a discerning eye and spotted the stage. "Please tell me you don't torture the CHS population with a night spot they can't enter."

"I am not that cruel—If you'll recall I was not a, ah, upstanding citizen in my more youthful days. I lock up the liquor cabinets and welcome all over 16 Friday and Saturday nights."

"Does it cut into your business much?"

"Not really. Most of the college crowd around here are townies home for a visit. Even if they're legal—well the apron strings are cut completely yet."

"Well, that is generous and very mature of you, Pacey."

"I do try." He smiled at her. The waiter brought out their wine and a tray of appetizers.

"I don't get to order?"

"Not when the owner knows you as well as I do." He picked up one of the appetizers and looked up at her. "Your mahi mahi will be out shortly."

"Well, well, Mr. Witter you do know me well."

He slid out of the booth and held out a hand. "Come here, let me show you something." She slid out of the booth a look somewhere between curiosity and suspicision on her face. He led her to a deck on the back of the resturaunt. "This is where I make most of my profits—Prom and wedding receptions go over big back here—particularly at night." He looked up and Joey's eyes followed his gaze. Her heart jumped up and then settled.

"I'd forgotten." She smiled a little sadly.

"They haven't changed, Jo."

"I know," she sighed. "I have—changed I mean—but they're still breathtaking and still here."

"You know you were right."

"Of course I was." She didn't take her eyes off the heavenly view. "About what?"

"You said it was harder to see them in the city." He was looking at her, but she didn't seem to notice.

"That was so long ago." She took a deep breath, smelling the sea, the fish cokking inside, the gentle aroma of rosemary, thyme, basil. "Do I smell an actual herb garden, Pacey Witter?"

"Yeah, freshness counts, plus it's cathartic."

"Mmm." She nodded and turned her eyes to the potted jasmine and chuckled. "You know, beautiful as it is out here, I think I prefer the inside."

His brow furrowed a little. "Why?" He looked at her curiously.

"It's more like you. Crowded, eclectic, midly nuerotic—this," She looked around, "Is too fancy and organized for Pacey Witter."

"Aah, but that—that is the other Pacey Witter."

She smiled and walked back toward the door. Turning the corner she saw their table, food already there. "Food's waiting."

"I'm the _owner_, Potter if I can't get good service who could?"

"True." They ate slowly, talking about people they'd known, things theyd heard about people they'd known and they memories they'd created with others in the years they'd been apart.

As they finished and coffee was delivered to the table, Joey shook her head. "Why is it we can do this, Pacey?"

"What?" he looked confused.

"_This_," she sighed. "You and I can sit, reminensce, eat, drink coffee, and just be comfortable."

"You say it like it's a bad thing, Jo."

"No," She looked toward the ceiling. "It's just that I can't do this with Dawson, even after years of separation, even after he moved to Boston, and everytign with his Dad. Evn though you never visited me once in London things are easy, comfortable between _us_. Why?"

"I don't know, Jo. Maybe it's all but living together for three months. Maybe it's me being willing to let you go and live your life—despite the fact that I love you—maybe because I love you." he stopped at the shocked look on her face. "What? You didn't think I'd just moved on and stopped caring did you, Jo?"

"I don't know. I just—I mean you never, Pace?" She looked at him suddenly at a lost for words.

"Jo, I didn't chase you down because I thought you needed to get to know yourself. Alone." He shrugged. "When you didn't come back, after a while I knew you'd done just that and found what you've been wanting all along."

"I found was peace of mind. I mean away from here I didn't have to worry about making anyone else happy or mad or crazy. But that kind of peace can come at a price."

"Yeah, it can be lonely." Pacey shrugged and smiled at her as he slid out of the booth. "Now before this conversation turns the evening toward morose reflection, let me walk you to your car." He held out a hand for the second time in the evening and she hesitated before taking it this time, but in the end the friendly gesture led her to her car and the evening ended with a very chaste kiss on the forhead. 'It was really good to see you, Potter."

"Yeah, it was good to catch up, Pace."

He nodded as she got into her car. When she started the car, radio blaring he knocked on her window. "Here I almost forgot this." He handed her a single white daisy. She smiled. 

"Thanks." She said putting the car into gear and heading for the B&B.

  
  


  
  


  
  



	6. SUNRISE

Sunrise, Wednesday

Dawson couldn't remember the last time he'd gotten up just to watch the sunrise. In the last six years he'd watched a number of rises and sets thru a camera lens, but rarely did he watch for the pleasure of the event anymore. The creek ran flame with the reflected newborn light. He looked at his neighbor's house remembering the years he'd spent pining away for Jen or Joey—almost always one or the other. He pulled on a light jacket and headed for the pier. He stood there alone as he had so many times before and let the feeling of home, comfort, and warmth wash over him. Capeside, particularly this part of Capeside was so much a part of him. Every script he wrote, every picture he shot had something to do with this place. He sighed remembering, as he often did the things his father had told him. "Some people, Dawson they say that you can never go home again. For people like us, for people who love their homes, I wonder if we ever really leave—no matter where we are." He watched as the bright ball that inspired his early rising settled just barely over the trees ahead of him. He turned to see Joey sitting on the front steps of the Potter B&B.

Curious about what urged her out of bed at this hour, Dawson crossed to her, and within minutes understood.

"No, really Janey, it's not your fault he's being tempermental." She sighed and shoved her hair behind her ear. Pulling her hand down from her face she glanced at her watch. "No I'm not far from Boston, I can be there in a couple hours." She listened again, and picked up the legal pad sitting next to her to scribble some information out. "When'd he move?" She listened again with a raised brow. "Really?" Pause. "No, I hadn't noticed the return address. I send all the manuscripts through shipping." She rolled her eyes at what the other woman was saying. "All right Janey, I promise I won't show up at a client's house in sweats." She looked down at her ragged gray sweats forlornly. "Yeah, I'll get out there ASAP. All right...yeah, bye, Janey."

She looked up at Dawson and smiled. "Wanna go to Boston?" She raised her brows with the question.

"Sure." Dawson shrugged. "Let me grab a couple things?"

"Meet me back here in ten?"

"I'll be here."

Fifteen minutes later, Joey was in a pair of camel pants, a brow blouse and a trendy turquoise belt. Dawson looked at her and shook his head. "Should I have changed?"

"Nah. I've got to drop in on a client who's not happy with some of my editor's notes."

"And?"

"Well, my assisstant let it slip that I was on vacation in Capeside..."

"He demanded a personal visit."

"Yeah, and I guess that's not really fair...I promised him last year I'd fly to the states for a meeting, but things got crazy and I couldn't make it."

"Well, Joey Potter tell me what's new in your life."

"Nothing, it's just the same old me from yesterday that you see today."

"No way. I knew you back then. You've definitely changed."

"Not really, I've grown up somehow; I mean I guess I just decided at some point to put wawy the childish things in my life." She shrugged. "That was easier to do in London."

"I'll bet."

He cocked her head to one side. "That's not to say that I don't occassionally indulge in taking out the past and wallowing in it."

"Really?"

"Yeah." She thought of the three books she'd published under another name. "I like to let the tortured girl I once was come out and play sometimes. So what's up in your life?"

"Well, you know about the movies, but I have a TV deal in the works now."

"Do tell." Joey said as they fell into the old, friendly rhythm again. Later they were driving in Boston, Joey turned a cautious eye to Dawson. "Listen, the company, it was great and I'll probably need it badly on the drive back, but--"

"I can't go to meet your client."

"No, he'd probably welcome you," she lied. "It's just not as easy to get him to focus with other people around."

Dawson nodded. "I heard Andie works in Boston now, maybe I can drop in on her." 

"Yeah, I think Jack said she worked at an architecture firm—Boland, Bailey and something?" She dug out her cell. "Jack's number in New York is in there call him."

She pulled to a stop out side a large library and waited for Dawson to finish talking to Jack. He handed the phone back. "He said she is in the office all day today and that he'd see me Saturday. I didn't want to mention it, but I though Jen had _not_ invited him."

Joey shrugged quickly and stepped out of the car. "I didn't have a date and he wa on my flight to JFK."

"Joey." Dawson's tone warned.

"Dawson." She flung back at him, but with a smile. "This shouldn't take but an hour. Do you have your cell?"

"Yeah, just call when you're done."

Dawson walked down the block and after Hoey watched him round the corner she walked two blocks from her car and pushed the buzzer next to the scrawled signature reading "O. Wild." Caught somewhere between exasperation and amusement she chuckled.

"Yes?" The somewhat tinny voice asked through the speaker.

"Am I still your favorite Obsessive fresheman?"

She heard the door click open and she pushed it in heading up the stairs to 2C.

He opened the door before she could knock with a glowing smile. "Potter."

"Professor." She nodded desparately trying to keep a straight face.

"Ugh, Joey. David please, I assume you're nolonger a student?"

"You assume correctly." She walked past him into the brownstone, small than his house had been, but comfortable, cozy, and cluttered. "It's good to see you again, and I have to say that is not something I can say about all my professors. Particularly the British ones."

"Obviously I know about the internship at Random House across the pond. Clearly that went well."

Joey smiled. "Yeah, it did. I was just kind of in the right place at the right time and caught on quickly, dealt pretty well with some of the authors she roleld her eyes at him and before I knew it I had decided to stay there. Within a year I had my degree and Random House offered me a good job." She shrugged. "It seemed like a dream come true."

"Then?" He prompted and shook his head when she didn't respond. "You know that's a bad habit it seems you've held onto."

"What?"

"You stop telling the story just when it gets interesting."

She shook her head and dug a manuscript out of her briefcase. "I don't have too long. Let's get started."

He shook his head, but decided not to push and the two settled across the coffee table to look over her notes on his newest book.

  
  


Across town, Dawson sat in a plush waiting room. He looked around at the quiet colors of the impressionistic art hung on the walls and thought they suited Andie well. Her assistant, a plump, friendly older woman, had checked to be sure Andie didn't have lunch plans when he'd asked. He thought he spied a sparkle of match making in the older woman's eyes. He chuckled briefly to himself when the door openned and one of Andie's collegues stepped out. One plump finger reached out with surprising grace and pressed a button. "Yes?" Andie's vocie sounded distracted and a little flustered. 

"Your eleven thirty is here, Ms. McPhee."

Dawson heard a sigh. Then the door opened suddenly and he caught his breath. "I don't have an eleven thrity, Marie." Despite the lines of confusion creasing her brow, Andie was striking. She hadn't changed much, but her chatty, fidgety girlishness was gone, replaced with a presence that had Dawson wondering if it wa in fact the Andie he'd known. 

Marie nodded at Dawson and Andie looked at him blankly for a solid fifteen second before it hit her. "Dawson?" She blinked. "Dawson Leery?" She flung her arms out and walked across the room to hug him fiercely. "Marie, I'm going to lunch." Dawson turned to see the shocked look on the older woman's face and realized the Andie must not be so open with everyone, which was definitely a change for her.

Andie walked dawson out of the building and turned to him, taking his elbow, "Tell me everything. I'm so far out of the loop, but I'll assume you came in for Jen's wedding?"

"Yep, I did." He nodded. "You going? I got and invitation, but Jack won't be there, and I don't have a date so it just didn't feel right...you know, I've been gone so long."

"Everybody would love to see you and you have to meet Joey's roomate, Audrey. What a trip."

"I'll think about it. Now tell me all about you."

The pair walked to a resturaunt and spent a couple of hours catching up, and by the time Dawson walked her back to her office, he felt sure Andie would attend Jen's wedding.

After a couple hours of arguing over his work, David and Joey took a break. "So what ever happened to that boy. One know the one that was so off again on again with you?"

She chuckled as shook her head. "We're still friends. See you came into the middle of the story so you didn't get a lot of the really interesting parts."

"Do tell." The dark brows implored. 

"Well it started when I was a little girl and moved in across the Creek from Dawson. He, his best friend, Pacey and I used to play together, and for years that was great, nearly perfect."

"Until pueberty hit."

"Yeah, pretty much." Joey nodded.

"You had a thing for Dawson, unrequieted..."

"In the beginning, but then..." she paused considering the best wording, then she shrugged. "But he broke it off and told Pacey to 'look out for me.'"

"Mistake."

"Big mistake."

"Pacey and you...?"

"Yeah, but it ended. Badly, but we all seemed to have gotten past it when we went our separate ways to college."

"Until you somehow all ended up in Boston?"

"Precisely."

"Joey?"

"Hmmm?"

"This has the makings of a great romance novel or soap opera concept."

"Thanks."

"So how does it end? Who won the heart of Miss Joey Potter?"

"It doesn't end really. Along the twists and turns I met...other people, they met other people. Then I left, I went to London."

"You mean you copped out."

"No, I mean I took a great oppurtunity, and moved on."

"You mean you copped out, just like you used to in you're writing."

She shrugged. "Yeah. I guess you can look at it that way."

"I will."

She shook her head and put down her coffee. "Dawson will be back to meet me soon." She stood up. 

"So you have a made a decision, you just haven't admitted it."

"No, Dawson was soming over to visit when Janey called to tell me that the temperamental David Wilder needed a personal visit from his editor."

"How did that happen by the way?"

"My first account. Brody, my boss, handed me _Red Candle_ telling me it had been written by a Professor at Worthington. I had no idea it was yours until I guess chapter five."

He shook his head, "And you still told him to publish it?"

"It was good."

"The writing's been better since I got this new editor."

"Well I hear she learned from the best." Joey smiled and put a hand on the door knob.

"Let me know how that story ends, Potter."

"If it ever does I will, David."

"It will, it's too good to go unresolved."

Joey hugged him briefly and opened the door to see Dawson already leaning against the car.

  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  



	7. SUNSET

SUNSET, Wednesday

Dawson and Joey sat side by side watching the sun trail rosy streaks down the sky. She sighed and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She looked away from the sunset to smile at him. Dawson smiled back and turned his eye back to the sunset. Joey felt the waves lapping gently against her feet, she heard the wind whistling through the trees and thought how wonderful it was to be back in Capeside. Her thought wandered to staying here, could she be content? Could she be fulfilled here? She shook her head as Gayle approached them. "Hi." she nodded at the familiar pair of faces that turned to greet her with smiles. "Hi." The echoed in chorus and chuckled. "It's good to see you, Joey. How's London?"

This was the scene Pacey Witter saw from across the creek. Standing in front of the Potter B&B, he dropped the daisy onto the porch and sighed. Checking his watch he headed back to the resturaunt.

Dawson, Joey and Gayle spent a lazy evening talking and playing with Lily before Joey Dawson started yawning and nodding off in Mitch's old chair like a man of twice his years. "You're tired." Joey said seeing his struggle. Standing, she hugged Gayle, kissed Lily on the cheek and ran a hand briefly over Dawson's hair. "Thanks for a great day, Dawson. I really appreciate it."

"Sure." He nodded, taking her hand and bringing it briefly to his lips. "We'll do it again before you leave."

"We'll see." She smiled and taking her hand back walked out the door.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Joey pulled out her cell phone and hit the speed dial for Jen. 

"Hello?"

"Can I talk to you?"

"Dawson or Pacey?" Jen asked astutely and received a sigh in reply.

"All little of both." Joey answered as she saw the bundle of daisies sitting at the font door. 

"Drama, drama, drama." Jen chuckled.

"Meet me..."

"Witter's."

"Jen, I can't go to Pacey's resturaunt to talk about him and..." _Click. _"Jen? Jen?!" Joey asked loudly until the dial told her Jen was gone.

  
  


Twenty minutes later the pair of twenty-somethings sat sipping martinis at the bar inside Witter's. "This is why I said here." Jen pointed at the thick crowd of people around them. It's the least likely place to run into someone we both know."

"So would the spirit be all right with you're fiance?"

"We drink socially, Joey, I'm a believer, not a prude." Jen shook her head, "And stop trying to change the subject. What happened today?"

"Dawson and I went to Boston."

"Boston?"

"Yeah, I had to visit a client—David Wilder—and Dawson was standing in my front yard when I found out I had to go so I invited him along."

"Wait! David Wilder as in the famous forbidden fruit David Wilder?"

"One in the same, but he's no longer forbidden, and he was never fruit."

"No he was beef..cake."

"Ugh! Jen!"

"What? Oh, all right, so what happened while you were in Boston?"

"Nothing, Dawson went to visit Andie and I went to see Wilder. We were apart most of the day."

"Except the four hours of round trip driving and the four hours you spent with him--"

"And his mother."

"before you called me."

"Yeah, and most of the day there was a friendly, comfortable feeling, but toward the end of the day it was tense, like old feelings were surfacing for him and he might have acted on them if his mother hadn't walked up to us."

"And that is...?"

"Unwelcome, unacceptable, un-un-" Joey blew an exasperated breath into the lock of hair falling over her eyes. "Unwanted."

"Okay. That answers a whole plethera of questions."

"What about Pacey?"

"Yeah, what about Pacey?" A familiar baritone echoed from behind Joey. Without a thought Joey laid her head on her arms and started to mumble incoherently. "What?" Pacey asked, but placed a hand on the head that was shaking back and forth. Leaning close to her ear he whispered, "Potter, relax, it was a joke." She sighed in response.

"Pacey." Jen said with a multitude of compassion for both her friends.

"I'm going home now. I'll see you two soon."

"Goodnight." Jen siad aloud. "Thanks." she mouthed at Pacey as he turned to leave.

"Goodphngiht." Joey mumbled from her position on th table.

"All right, Potter, he had a valid question. What about Pacey?"

Joey raised her head. "I don't know, Jen. He's been wonderful since day one. He—he loves me no matter what. The other night, we had dinner and he said he didn't chase me down when I left because he knew me well enough to know that I needed to be away from this place and these people to get to know myself. The thing is, he's right. I didn't have a clue who I was on my own, without him, without Dawson and Capeside, and all the drama. I know who I am now, but something about this place it turns me into a fifteen year old bumbling idiot all over again."

"Jo."

"I don't know. I know that Pacey's never had to be around me to understand me. It's almost instinct with him. He knows how I feel before I do, and while that doesn't necessarily stop him from acting like an idiot; it ususally keeps him from hurting me."

"It there anything else."

"He's crude. He's kind. He's—he's ..."

"Pacey."

"Yeah."

"What do I do, Jen?"

"Make a choice."

"That's been the answer for a long time, huh?"

Jen picked up her glass and clinked it gently against Joey's. "You catch on fast, kiddo." 

"Yeah I know.

  
  


  


  
  


  
  



	8. SUNRISE

SUNRISE, Thrusday

Light poured into Joey's room throught the sheer curtains covering her window. She squinted at the bright invasion as her eye openned from a heavy alcohol induced sleep. She sighed remebering Jen's words from the night before: "Make a choice," Joey shrugged and wseriously considered throwing th blankets back over her head, but stopped as Alexander came running into her room. "Some guy's here to see you, Jo." Jo grimaced at the thought but throew her feet onto the floor and shoved up out of the bed. 

"Who is it?" Alex Shrugged and walked out. Joey shrugged ans threw her robe on over the old fannel pants and cotton night shirt she'd slept in. She tossed her hair into a messy twist with a claw and brushed her teeth before going to find out who wanted to see her. She stepped through and closed the door behind her and heard the smile in his vocie before she saw it on his face. "I know those PJ's." He said sounding surprised and amused. 

She looked down at the clouds and sheep dotting the light blue fannel pants and grinned. "Hey, Pace."

"I can't believe you still have those, Jo, you big sappy sentamentalist."

She shrugged and cocked her head to one side. "What're you doing here?"

"I was gonna see if you wanted to take a little drive with me, but clearly..." he trailed off looking at her current attire. "not."

"Where're we going?" She asked.

"To the farmer's market in Plymouth."

"Why?"

"Picking up the vegetables for the wedding...possibly the fish too, but I'm not sure about that yet."

"Give five minutes?"

Pacey shrugged a little shocked. "Take your time."

When joey came back in weaing her favorite pair of blasted jeans and a cap sleeved green top, Pacey was engaged in a game of Grand Theft Auto with Alexander. She rolled her eyes. "How bad is he kicking your butt?"

"It's not pretty." Pacey said lookingup with a grin. Once he'd gotten a good look at her, he'd had to look away a clear his throat in order to breath freely again. "Ready?" He asked already gettng up.

"Yeah. Thanks for entertaining him, Alex."

"Sure." The distracted voie answered without looking away from his video game.

Joey walked outside and shook her head at the slightly battered SUV in the driveway. "When did you get this?"

"I found it at this used car lot. It needed some work, but..." He trialed off with a shrug.

"And _I'm _the big sappy sentamentalist?" She raised brow at him as she climbed into the passenger side and buckeled her seat belt.

The pair were driving in campanionable silence toward the interestate when Joey looked over at him and sighed.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing." She shook her hed and smiled sadly as they passed the sign stating Capeside 6 miles.

  
  


The day in Plymouth had started early, so when Pacey and Joey reached the Market it was swarmed with people buying, selling and some just wandered from booth to booth absorbing the atmosphere. Joey walked behind Pacey, her eyes going from one strange fruit or vegetable to another. She watched with interest as he thumped, poked, sniffed and rolled each item testing it's ripeness or quality. He was picky she smiled to herself. He had always been picky with food. He was less picky about money as his venture into the stock market had proven. She shook her head as he pulled wad of bills from his pocket to pay for one case of tiny corn and a case of what appeared to be cantaloupe. She wondered briefly if Jen was paying him or if this was his gift. Considering the amount she'd watched him pay for just two items on his massive list the meal would be an expensive gift. Over the next few hours she watched Pacey truly in his element, haggling over both price and quality of produce. She smiled at the little thing about him that had changed and the big things that hadn't changed. Clearly he'd honed his cooking abilities in his resturaunt. She wondered briefly where he'd come up with the money to start Witter's. The frown that crease her brow didn't escape Pacey's notice. He put down the tomatoes he was examining and raise an inquiring brow at her. 

"Nothing. It's not my business." She shook her head at him.

"That's actually stopped you before?"

"No. I guess not. It's jut I haven't seen you in so long, Pace. I'm not quiet sure how far my boundaries go with you. You know I've never wanted to hurt you, Pace."

"I know that, Jo." He shrugged. 'It's probably why I've been able to forgive you."

"Forgive me?" She asked confused by the conversation's sudden turn.

"Eddie." he said with as little emotion as he could.

"Ah. Dawson too? What about Charlie?"

"No. You're not hearing me. I screwed things up for us in high school and I totally take the blame for it. College was..." He searched for a word. "Interesting for us both. You had the good professor, Charlie Todd—which I _still_ don't understand—and Eddie." He sighed and looked back at the tomatoes. Picking severla boxes he waved the proprietor over and they discussed price for several minutes finally settling on a compromised cost.

"Pacey, the time we were together in college was so short. I thought we'd both agreed we were better off as friends. Eddie, he came back."

"Exactly, and you went back to him but he was already gone so I got to be your friend again."

"Pace." 

"No. I don't want to do this. I just want to be your friend, and let you live your life." _Mine be damned _he thought remembering the way he'd seen her with Dawson. Jealousy is a dangerous thng that rears its head at the least convienient most unlikely of times.

"You know that I Eddie left me and I had decided to go to Paris."

"Old news, Potter." Pace said loading his crates of tomatoes onto his flat cart. 

"What you don't know is that I went. I stood there at the base of the Eiffel Tower and said good-bye to the possibilities that life had offered. I got back to capeside three days later to find this amazing intership offer in my mail. I had no idea it was coming, Pace. I had no itention of leaving things unsettled between us. You and Dawson seemed to be getting along again, and as my presence has always cause a rift there I called you both and told you I was leaving." She sighed and looked at him. "Dawson, he chased me down at every oppurtunity. Made me feel totally guilty for seizing the oppurtunity. You, on the other hand never called, never wrote me back, never even tried to find me." 

"There's no happy medium for us is there Jo?"

"Apparently not." She started to follow him when he stopped and whirled on her.

"Did you want me to,Jo?" She looked at him a confused line creasing her brow. "Did you want me to come after you? God knows I had to fight the urge not to, but I wasn't sure where we stood anymore."

Joey rolled her eyes and walked toward the next booth. "Pacey you really are and idiot sometimes."

  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  



	9. SUNSET

A/N: Ok, though it came quickly, this part has been hard to write, so forgive if my characters are a bit off.

SUNSET, Thursday

Dawson pulled the small velvet box from his coat pocket again and smiled. 'It's beautiful." He heard his mother's vocie from behind him. "Got a hand to put it on yet?"

"I'm working on that part." He looked out the window across the creek as Pacey's old beaten up SUV pulled up out side Potter's B&B. He frowned for a moment, but the creases faded as he watched Joey exit the car wearing a less than thrill look. Seizing what he saw as an oppurtunity, Dawson kissed his mother and headed for Potter's. Pacey had been gone less than five minutes when he knocked on her door. 

From inside Joey called. "Too little, too late, Witter." and flung the door open with every intention of slamming it in Pacey's face.

"Hi." Dawson said his face a mask of surprised amusement. "What did Witter do this time?"

"He's an idiot." Joey said with a shake of her head. "Come in."

"Actually I ws wondering if you wanted to take a walk."

"As long as it's short and we can sit to talk about whatever it is that brought you here."

"Deal." He grinned with a chuckle.

"All right." She grabbed a sweater that didn't match her shirt off the pegs by the door.

"What's up, Dawson?" Joey asked as they shuffled up to a bench on the boardwalk.

"I don't know. I've just been thinking a lot about us the last few days."

"You and me?"

"Well, yeah."

"What about us?"

"There's this problem with our relationship."

"Which is? Well other than the obvious we've resided on two different continents for the last six years."

"It's never been resolved. I mean we dated, and broke up."

"And that's not resolved?" She asked a little confused by his direction."

"Well, I think maybe the story stopped just as it got interesting." he all but quoted Wilder.

Joey shook her head. "I don't know I think the story ended exactly way it was supposed to."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because as often as we've tried to change the ending it went sour every time." She slid across the bench and put a comforting hand over his hand. "It's no one's fault Dawson."

"Still love you." He said turning his hand over to grasp hers. "I've always loved you in one form or another."

She smiled and leaned over to place her lips against his forehead. He caught her chin as she puleld back. He held her still and looked in her eyes. He thought he saw it, the spark of affection he'd seen all those years ago and he did the only thing he knew to do—the only thing he thought could rekindle the flame. He brought her lips to his in a gentle if somewhat forceful kiss to which Joey responded despite her best intentions.

  
  


  
  


A/N: and P/Jers everywhere groan in dissapointment—I won't give it away, but I will say this: there is still a whole day, rehearsal dinner, wedding and reception, so don't stop reading... MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

  
  



	10. SUNRISESUNSET

A/N: Sorry about having to take chapter ten down, I was fighting with windows formating. P.S. I LOVE my Red Hat Linux OS. I had to completely retype the whole chapter after stupid Windows refused to post the enitre first page. But anywho...

This is all day Friday in one chapter. Enjoy!

SUNRISE Friday

Friday dawned cool and misty. Before she thought twice about it, Joey had called Jen and had her racing over the the B&B.

Jen sat quietly shaking her head at her maid of honor. "What do you mean it "just sorta happened?'" Joey looked at her and shook her head. Jen placed a hand over the distraught brunette's. "Joey?" she waited on the other woman to look up. "Any idea how this happened?" Her chestnut locks shook with her answer. "What it means?" The soulful brown eyes glared icily at Jen. "Sorry."

Joey sighed. "I just don't understand it. It was a sweet, totally platonic moment. Why'd he ruin it?"

"Maybe he wasn't felling the platonic vibe?" Jen asked as gently as she could manage.

"Jen, we were sitting there talking like we've done a million times before. He said he loved me..." She chose her words carefully before going on. "But not like a declaration or anything, just saying that he's always loved me as a friend as a sister."

"The kiss didn't sound at all brotherly, Joey."

"Ugh!" Joey groaned throwing her head back against the pillow behind her. "Okay, I need some pure escapist action here. Let's go see how everything's going for the rehearsal dinner and..." Joey trailed off.

"And what, Potter?"

"A girl has to have her secrets."

"Potter." Jen tried to warn using her most threatening tone of voice.

"C'mon, stop worrying. We need to be sure Pacey has everything set up for tonight."

"All right." Jen pushed up off the bed and beamed at Joey. "I'm getting married tomorrow."

Joey wrapped an arm around her friend's shoulders. "I know." she smiled. "I'm so jealous!" Joey grinned.

"As well you should be." Jen nodded and led Joey to the car.

  
  


Across town Pacey Witter was nodding his head at the young man he'd started slicing potatoes. "It's getting better, but it's got to be perfect." He didn't lookup to see the kid roll his eyes, but Pacey knew he had. The young hand brought the blade down along the potato cutting off a paper thin slice. "Good now do these." Pacey told him dropping a ten pund bag on the counter next to him. He grinned wickedly at inflicting the same torment he'd suffered on another.

He smelled her before he saw her. A gently exotic blend of vanilla and jasmine that she'd worn for as long as he'd known her. "Hi, Jo." He said without turning around.

She stopped and looked at the back of his quizzically. "Pacey." She nodded quickly regaining her composure. "How's everything looking for tonight?"

"Good. I've got the..." he trailed off as he turned, and stopped to smile when he saw the thinly vield disinterest on her face. "It's coming along. How's the deocrating committee doing?"

"Everything's up. The grass skirt and lei arrangents were a bit of a mightmare, but what're friends for, right?"

He nodded and stepped next up next to her. He put a hand over hers where it was running up and down the edge of a counter. "Jo?" Pacey asked, concern filling his dark eyes.

She tried a smiled that felt dismally short of sincere. "I'm just a litte on edge, I guess."

"About what?"

"I don't know, being back here I guess." She lifted one shoulder. "You the constant flood of childhood memories has been eating away at my carefully constructed exterior for days now. I guess the mask is wearing a little thin." She sighed quietly, and turned to walk out.

"Hey, Jo?" He stopped her, taking a gentle hold on her hand; she looked up to see his eyes fill compassion and empathy. "Save the 'carefully constructed exterior' for eveyone else, Okay?" He squeezed her hand lightly before letting go. "I don't need it."

She stood with her back against the swinging door. "Thanks, Pace." she smiled, quielty walking backward through the door into the dining room. Her smile spread across her face until it filled her eyes. Beaming, she went to help Jen finish decorating for her Hawiian themed rehearsal dinner.

SUNSET, Friday

It was a few hours later when Gary and Jen in front of their pastor, in a room full of family and friends, giggling like teen agers. The pastor ocassionally looked up to rolle his eyes, give them some direction or bit of time honored wisdom that would send the couple into new waves of laughter. Pacey, paired with Bessie stood on Jen left along Joey. Dawson, paired with Audrey stood to Jen's right along with Brant, Gary's brother and best man. "All right, at this point," The pastor said closing his prayer book. "I'll pronounce you, introduace you to the congragation, and..." He paused dramatically. " Tell you to get a room!" The entire chapel rang with the explosion of unexpected laughter as they company made their way from the church to Witter's.

The meal, Pacey's handiwork, was delicious. _If boring._ Thought Joey as she fought the urge to close her eyes and nod off. She shook herself and tried to gain a renewed interest in Brant half hour monolouge on the virtues of a wireless network. A warm hand on her shoulder hadn her jumping. She looked up to Pacey standing over her grinning wickedly. "Dance, Potter?" He asked nodding at the gently swaying waltz playing. Through a wry smile she agreed and taking his hand let him lead her onto the dance floor. 

"Thanks for the rescue." She said after a moment's hestitation.

"That's not what you wanted to say."

"Yes it is." She furrowed her brow at him.

"No. it's not." 

"Fine, what did I want to say, Pacey?"  


He raised a brow at her. "Nothing." He looked her in the eye, searching. "You _wanted_ to backheand me." He grinned. "I'm still trying to figure out what stopped you."

She gave him a half nod and grinned devilishly. "Becareful what you wish for, Witter. You just might get it."

As the song ended, Dawson and Brant nodded at Pacey who nodded back and gave Joey a quick sqeeze before ganging up on Gary and dragging him off to his bachelor party. Joey waved at the men before grabbing Jen, seting her and allowing the women to bury her in prettily wrapped boxes.

  
  


Pacey denied all knowledge of the three women waiting for them at Gary's apartment, but most of the men gave him credit fo their presence. Seeing Dawson across the room he chuckled at the groom who was trying to avoid the scantily clad women. "Dawson." He nodded at the blonde man. 

"Pacey." Dawson returned with a smile.

"It's been a while." Pacey put in as Dawson took a sip of his Jack and Coke. 

"Yeah, but you're doing great I hear."

Dawson nodded. "The TV deal should come through this month." There was an awkward pause. "The resturaunt is amazing, man. I can't believe it."

"I know. I couldn't believe it either." They stood without talking for a few minutes before Pacey sighed. "She looks great."

"Yeah." Dawson nodded. "Pace?"

"Yeah?"

"You still..."

"Yeah?"

"Still um, palnning to meet up at the peir before haeding to the church?"

"Sure, man."

"All right." They two men shook hands knowing something important was going unsaid. 

"See you there." Pacey said turning to leave.

He walked the three blocks to his resturaunt palnning to check on a few things for the reception dinner. He changed his mind when he heard the teeter of women giggle and gasping at Jen's gifts. With a smile he turned onto the boardwalk and looked out over the water. 

"Hey, that's an early night for the infamous Pacey J. Witter." The careless alto drifed to him from behind.

An uncontrollable smile spread across his face as he turned to her.

"Hey, what's this?" he squinted at her. "You look sober."

"I am!" she feigned indiginity. "We've had a blast embarassing Jen though."

"Jen?" Pacey looked shocked, then interested. "Embarrassed? Now that lingerie I _have_ to see."

Joey didn't hesitate to back hand him this time—playfully, on the shoulder. "I think event the indominable Pacey J. Witter would be thrown if he had to open crotchless panties in the presence of his grandmother."

"Grams?" 

"Oh yeah." Joey nodded chewing on her lower lip to restrain her amusement at his reaction. She rolled her eyes toward the sky.

"Can't see them tonight." Pacey said following her gaze.

"I know, it's kinda lonely without them."

He nodded, understanding. "Take a walk?" He asked, extending his hand.

"Sure." She said taking his hand for the second time. They walked without talking, taking in the sound of water and the breeze russling the sea grass. Suddenly tired Joey sat unceremoniously in the sand and removed her shoes. Pacey sat next to her and watched her raise her face to the breeze. With a small smile she folded into herself as she'd done ever since he'd known her. "I've missed this place." she said looking out over the wide expanse of water. He slid close to her, putting his jacket over her shoulders and left one arm resting on her shoulders. She sighed before laying her head on his shoulder "It's good to be home." she whispered, andthey both knew she didn't mean Capeside. 

It was an hour later when Pacey woke her with a gentle shake and a whisper. "Jo." He shook her shoulder gently. "Jo, let me walk you home." She suddenly sat bolt upright, looked at Pacey and blew out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Hi. I guess it's late."

"Yeah." He nodded and stood to help her up. "Let's get you home." She stood next to him for a moment and just looked at him. _Not the same boy I knew. _She thought with a smile. "You're a good man, Pacey Witter." She said and reached up on her toes to place a gentle kiss on his lips. 

He smiled at her and shrugged. "I've been telling you that for years."

"Only it hasn't been true until now." She grinned at him. And the playful banter continued all the way back to the B&B.

  
  


A/N: All right everybody happy? Have I evened the palying field? So Saturday is the wedding and it will probably be two chapters...but I promise, Joey will make a definitive choice—Pacey or Dawson—will the man of her dreams accept her? Idon't know yet...I haven't written it. Hope you enjoyed it, Lane.

  
  


  
  


  
  



	11. SUNRISE

A/N: Hi, constant reader (Yeah, I stole that from Stephen King, but he stole it from somebody else so I don't feel too bad.) This is the beginning of Saturday... the wedding day and the next to last day in my story. I'm trying very hard to make the characters ring true to those created by the phenomenal K. Williamson. I hope you enjoy it.

  
  


Jen Lindley perched on the railing of the porch at the Potter B&B. She smiled watching the sun extend rosey fingers into a cloudless sky. She remebered all the moments in and near this creek that had made her the woman she had become and smiled. She thought of the man she loved—the only man she'd truly loved. Her heart overflowed, and she sighed contentedly as she picked up her tea mug and headed inside to shower.

  
  


Across the creek, Dawson Leery stared out his window at the ladder Lily had recently moved back into place. He sighed at the memories that started with that ladder. He looked across the room at the velvet box that rested on his dresser. He hoped the story would end with that ladder. Lily's voice rang through the house, shaking him out of his reverie.

  
  


Andie McPhee pulled her car to a stop outside Pacey's apartment and sighed. Capeside always felt like another world to her. A place she'd never really gotten a solid hold on. Jack McPhee waved wildly when he saw his sister climb out of her car and beamed as he ran to wrap her in a bear hug. She pulled away and smiled as he lead her to Pacey's apartment.

  
  


Pacey Witter groaned at the invading light, but swung his legs over to the floor. He started into his walk-through closet, but stopped as he turned on the TV. Waiting for a few numbers to roll by on the Stock crawl at the bottom of the screen, Pacey shook his head. _Old habits die hard._ He thought and headed into the closet. The gentle scent of vanilla and jasmine assault him from the jacket he'd put on Joey the night before. Pacey J. Witter put his face in his hands and wondered if torment he endured for loving this woman would ever be over. With a shrug he climbed into the shower.

  
  


Audrey Lidell-Vellinio growled at the small hand pushing her cheek. She feigned sleep for a few more minutes while waiting her the little body to get just close...enough...to... GRAB! She held her angel faced two year old and giggled loudly with her. The platinum blonde hair spilled out of the hat she'd pulled on her head. Audrey laughed and rolled over to kiss her husband's shoulder. Getting out of bed, she took her daughter's hand and headed for the kitchen.

  
  


Joey mumbled something incomprehensible as the light shone brightly through her sheer drapes. She could see herself in a mirror, she wore her bridesmaid dress. Her hair fell in soft curls around her shoulders. The jasmine she carried trailed a light, sweet secent behind her. She smiled at the people in the pews to her left and right. She looked forward to see Jen, Audrey and Gayle wearing the bridesmaids dresses. Confused she looked at her dress again. It was white, a simple strapless bodice that flared at the waist and dragged heavily at the back. She shook her head, and felt the soft tulle of a veil tickle her shoulders. She looked at the alter and her eyes grew wide. To her left stood a tux clad Dawson, smiling gently, sincerely. To her right stood Pacey whose smile was knowing and genuine. She stopped three feet from them unable to remember who she was there to marry. She looked down at her hand and saw the winking sapphire she'd always wanted but never mentioned. She looked back up at them and beamed at him. She walked over, took his hand and kissed him chastely on the cheek before turning and walking up the four stairs to the Minister with... Joey sat bolt upright in bed. She shook her head and tried desparately to remember the last five seconds of her dream. It was there, she felt it sinking into the recesses of her mind—to the places she didn't know how to access and she threw her face into the nearest pillow and screamed.

  
  


Apparently breakfast was a priority for the women. They were all at the table when Joey appeared in her door. "Hi." Audrey called through a mouthful of pancake. "Deliah got up at the butt crack of dawn." She rolled her eyes at the little girl.

Joey looked at Jen who was glowing and pensive. Her pancakes sat nearly untouched.

"Jen, you have to eat. The wedding is at seven tonight."

"I know." The bride said before bowing her head to whisper what sounded like a heartfelt blessing for her meal. She looked out the window into the still cloudless sky while she ate her pancakes. The women whipped their heads to the back door at the sound of the screen door slamming. A few seconds later a familiar blonde head poked around the corner. Jen looked in the direction of the sound in time to see Andie smiling brightly at her. "Andie!" she called dropping off her stool to welcome the other woman with a hug. 

"Hi." Andie said nodding at the women she knew, introducing herself to those she didn't. "It's been too long." She stated simply when she came to Joey.

"It has." Joey nodded wrapping the younger woman in a hug.

  
  


As usual, Pacey was late meeting Dawson at the peir. "Sorry." He said as he approached. 

Dawson shook his head. "No problem. I told you to be here fifteen minutes early, so you're actually right on time."

"Cheater." Pacey accused. The men walked to Dawson's car and got in after putting their tux hangers on the hooks in the back seat. Pacey sighed and looked out the window at the Potter B&B. He wondered what Joey was doing. Dawson put the car in gear and stopped to follow Pacey's gaze. _A few more hours._ He thought dropping the car into drive.

  
  


It was hours later when Joey knocked on the front door of Dawson's house. Gayle answered, and lead Joey inside to collect the table linens Dawson had forgotten. She smiled at the ladder just as Dawson had. She remembered the dream that had started at the foot of that ladder. She remembered the heartache when it had been moved. She allowed a ghostly smile to claim her face. Done with her errands, she drove to the church, dropped off the table cloths, and drove back to the salon.

  
  


By five all the women were coiffed, and made up. As the make up girl put the finishing touches on Bessie, Jen handed her bridesmaids slender jewelry cases. A collective gasp went up as the women opened their jewelry. Intertwined silver chains glittered and winked from each box. Small knot earrings glinted in the unfiltered light. The chatter broke out quickly and the photographer used the candid moment to snap a picture.

By sunset, the men were watching a surprisingly calm Gary hoping they could be half as calm when their turn came. Pacey stood between Brant and Dawson shaking his head. "It amazeds me, man."

"What?" Brant asked looking at Pacey.

"That they love each other and want to spend their whole lives together."

Dawson drew his brows together. "Why is that so amazing...happens all the time."

"Not this kind. I mean you've seen them together this week...happy like idiots, I've seen them the whole time, D. Those two can fight bitterly, angrily, and then forgive completely. I've never really understood how they do it. It's like the bad stuff never happened at all." Pacey stopped, meeting Dawson's eyes briefly before looking down. "Like they only remember the time they've spent loving each other and nothing else is worth remembering."

Dawson snickered. "I'm sorry man, but you sound like a sap."

"I, Dawson Leery, am the world's biggest sap. I just never realized until now."

It was an hour later when the photographer lead the women to the chapel and posed the bridal party as a whole. A shot that would eventually remind them of how it had been the day _everything_ changed...

  
  


A/N: Tune in next time to hear Joey say... "You're amazing and I love you."

  
  


  
  



	12. SUNSET

A/N: Hi there, Constant Reader. Are we all ready for the twists, the turns, the walk down the aisle? Good . Here we go, enjoy the show.

SUNSET, Saturday

The sun settled silently over the water as the photographer snapped another candid shot of the bridal party. With their arms wrapped about one another, the women looked young, blissful and carefree. All but one of them felt that way. Looking up, Joey's eyes landed on a tux clad Pacey Witter grinning his way toward her. _Lord, he cleans up good._ She thought with a shake of her head. "Hey." She whispered.

"Hey, Potter." He said with a nod. He put a hand on her bare shoulder and passed by her to talk to Jen. Joey's brows drew together. Then she shrugged apparently he hadn't ascribed as much meaning as she had to the night before. Picking up the single lily she'd be carrying down the aisle, Joey headed inside to make sure everything was ready to go. 

Dawson stood at the doors of the church talking to Lily. They stopped talking as she approached. Lily beamed up at her then turned to walk into the chapel. "Hi." Dawson smiled at her. "How's Jen?"

"I know it's cliché, but she's radiant."

"Sometimes the cliché is the best thing to be."

"Maybe." She nodded. "So you've been torturing the videographer I'm sure."

"I just told him to adjust the lighting from the right--" He stopped noticing the grin on her face. 

"I know, Dawson. It's been good being home." She chuckled at him. "It's been good seing you and Pacey together again."

"Yeah, things have been better the last year or so."

Pacey topped the hill coming from the bank of the hill to the church. He smiled when he saw Joey, but the smile faded quickly when he realized she was talking to Dawson. _She's beautiful. She's still..._ "God!" he mumbled coming to a stop. _What was I thinking?_ Pacey shook his head and turned to enter the church by the side door.

  
  


Gary, Pastor White,and Brant watched as Jen's mother, then Gary's were seated. Then they pushed through the door and waited on the bridesmaids to saunter down the aisle. Joey stood in front of Jen and sighed. "You're gorgeous, Jen."

"Thanks, Joey." The bride responded watching Bessie make her way up the aisle. As she made it to the stairs Pacey met her, offered her an elbow and escorted her to her mark. Audrey made her way toward Dawson and they went to to the opposite side. Joey nodded at Grams and hugged Jen fiercely. As the trumpet voluntary startedshe took her first step into the chapel. She opened her eyes and heart. She absorbed the entire atmosphere. Stained glass flitered the slowly dimming sunlight to lend an air of magic to the whole building. She looked first left the right, seeing Andie and Jack sitting together in the front of the church. Dawson's family sat with them. She looked at the two men standing on opposite sides of her . Opposite sides of her life, her heart. She smiled at Pastor White and took her place. The entire church stood at the opening chords of the bridal march. Standing at the back of the church, Doug Witter opened the doors to let Jen in. She and her Grams stood holding one another up. Grams, dignified as always in her striking Navy suit, looked down and nodded at Jen. Jen smiled and took it all in. She felt the clumn of white silk fall against her; she felt the weight of the baby roses and veil in her hair. She looked left and right as Joey had done. She stopped when she saw her mother, taking one of the four lillies she carried and handed it to her with a hug. She smiled at Gary's mother and repeated the process. She turned to the aisle again and caught sight of Jack and Andie. Tears welled silently in her eyes. He'd been such a great friend to her. She walked across the aisle, nodded at Andie and dragged Jack into a hug. "I'm glad you're here, McPhee." She whispered handing him a flower. "I've missed you." Jen and Grams walked the last few steps to the stairs. When they got there Jen turned to her Grams. "I love you. Thank you."

"Congratulations, Jennifer." The older woman nodded and stood watching her granddaughter walk up the stairs with her groom.

Joey watched the entire ceremony with a lump in her throat. She tore her eyes away from Jen and Gary only long enough to look from Dawson to Pacey one time. Her heart had confused her most of her life. She'd always felt such a pull toward both of them. They were so different, but so much the same. She looked back at the bride and groom as Pastor White smiled at them. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife." He paused. "You may kiss you're bride." Gary took his wife's face reverently in his hands and kissed her gently but throughly. Pastor White had the couple turn around. "May I introduce Mister and Mrs. Gary Browning." The congrgation rose to its feet and clapped loudly as the organ started the recesional and the couple strode down the aisle . "The happy couple asks that we all follow the bridal party down the street to Witter's Supper Club for the reception." 

  
  


Pacey smiled and took Besie's elbow to start leading the church full of people to his resturaunt. Once they got there and greeted everyone Jen and Gary lead the way from table to table shoving cake into each other's faces, drinking from crystal held by intertwined arms. Jen and Gary's first dance was a slow sway to Van Morrison's "Someone Like You." Through out the song Pacey watched Joey from across the room. He'd stopped counting the number of times he'd started her way, but when he heard the slow, instrumental waltz playing he smiled and walked to her. Interrupting her conversation he grinned. "They're playing our song, Potter." She smiled and shook her head but took his hand. The stepped and turned in time having improved since their adventure at the Starlight. As the song ended and Joey's eyes lit with laughter, Dawson cut in. 

"Hi. Pace, can I?" Pacey felt as if the tables had been turned on him, but he nodded. As he watched Dawson and Joey swaying to the grainy pop ballad he sighed. Somehow he felt what Dawson must've felt when he saw Joey with someone else...namely Pacey Witter. It was a cold, lonely hurt. Pacey swallowed hard and went to stand on the dock for a while. It was nearly two hours later when all the food was eaten and the couple was getting ready to leave. Joey had given Jen her tickets after breakfast that morning. The couple would spend the night on one of the Supper Club sailboats and head for the airport on Sunday. The couple appeared at the door, getting ready to run the long corridor of friends and family waiting to pelt them with bridseed.

Joey slid up behind Pacey and grinned. "It was great of you to let them use your boat." Pacey shrugged as the couple started running. He couldn't help but smile as he hit Jen square in the hair with his handful of seeds.

"I got a new one three weeks ago and it seemed perfect timing."

"Yeah." Joey nodded. "I guess I'll see you around, Pace." She said rising to her toes to kiss his cheek. 

She was already three steps away when Pacey called after her. "Hey, Jo, when'd you leave?"

"Tomorrow. I have a thing Monday night." When he just nodded silently she shook her head and turned to leave again.

Removing her shoes she walked barefoot on the sidewalks of Capeside some how ending up at the foot of that infamous ladder. With a sigh, she turned and perched on one of the wrungs. She jumped as she saw someone round the corner. "Joey?"

"Dawson." She took the hand at her throat and put it in her lap.

"I was on my way to find you."

"Really?" she asked. "I was coming by to tell everyone good bye. I'm leaving for Dublin tomorrow."

"Dublin?"

"I've have to see a client on my way back."

"That's kinda what I was coming to talk to you about." She raised a brow at him. "I don't think you should leave."

"Dawson? I have a job."

"And I think you should try to transfer." He paused. "You belong stateside, Jo."

"Dawson, I love my job, and I've done pretty well for myself." She said quietly indignant.

"I know." He put his hands in his pockets. "It's just I don't think you should go anywhere without me." He pulled the hands from his pockets and opened the small velvet box to reveal a princess cut diamond.

"D-Dawson." She looked up at him confused.

"I want you, Joey. I love you. Marry me."

"What?" She was too shocked for anymore words.

Dawson knelt in front of her."Marry me, Josephine Potter." He repeated just as Pacey rounded the corner. At the sight before him he opened his mouth, but shut it quickly. He turned on his heel and ran the other direction. Joey stared after him until Dawson took hold of her chin.

"Dawson."

"It's a simple question, Jo, do you love me?"

"Yes." she said with hesitation.

"But?" Dawson shook his head and studied the grass beneath him.

"Dawson, I've loved you most of my life. And I know you love me, but I can't marry you." She sighed and held a hand to his lips. "Dawson," she looked at the spot Pacey'd been standing. "He loves me too."

"And you love him."

"Passionately." she said a little sadly. "So much that I'm willing to risk the most important freindship of my life to be with him. I'd risk anything for him, Dawson." She waited for a response. He slid off his knee to sit on the grass.

"I can't do it again, Joey. I know it was long time ago, but I can't tell you to go after him again. I'll understand when you do, but I can't give you the answer this time." He put a hand over hers. "But I'll be here when you get back—when both of you get back." she leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"Any idea where he'd go?" Dawson shrugged and snapped the velvet box closed. "I love you, Dawson." Joey said before stepping over him to run after the man she loved more than anything in the world.

  
  


It was like she was re-enacting a moment from her teen years. Doug and told her to look for his boat. She sprinted around the corner, the soft silk of her bridesmaid dress trailing in the breeze behind her. "Pacey!" she yelled. "Pace, don't you dare leave me standing here!" she called over the lapping of the water. She remembered the last time and turned toward the ramp and resturaunt. "Pacey Witter!" 

The envelope nailed to the ramp gate had her name on it. She broke the seal and read with tears in her eyes.

_Jo,_

_You don't have to tell me—I saw it. I wish I could be happy for you, but it's beyond me right now. My graciousness is worn too thin and now I'm going to say a few things I'll likely regret in the morning._

"Pacey." She whispered to herself.

_Jo, you know how it goes, we've played this scene before. I love you both, Jo so I say this with love. It's a huge mistake. He loves you, but you don't love him like that. If you did we... I don't know...He's never been that person for you...He's meant loyalty, friendship, security. He's safe, Jo, but after a while you'll get bored with safe and you both—no, I don't care about anybody but you right now. You deserve more than that, Jo. I love you, Josephine Potter._

She spotted him loading his boat and called. "Pacey!" But she was too far away. He disappeared and she heard the engine roar to life. 

"Pacey!" she called and saw him turn, but the boat didn't stop. "I'm not going to marry Dawson."

"Why?" he called to her.

"Pacey, Ask me to stay!" she yelled.

Tears he hadn't shed in years welled in his eyes. "I can't Jo. It's not my decision. I can't give you this answer." He untied the lines and throttled out of the slip. 

"Pacey, please!" she called after him. "Pace, I love you." She called as he cleared the docks. 

She squinted after him as saw the name of his boat and sat down to weep. 

Underneath the stars Pacey steered _Napolean _into the Atlantic.

On _Josephine_ Jen and Gary wallowed in newlywed bliss.

  
  



	13. SUNRISESUNSET

A/N: All right is is Sunday, the last day. Here's hopin you've enjoyed the show. There will be a short epilouge.

  
  


SUNRISE, Sunday

Joey woke slowly at the insistent beeping of her alarm clock. She rubbed at her tired, red eyes. Bessie walked in quietly. "I'm sorry, honey. I hate that it happened, but you need to go home, and regroup." Bessie rubbed her back and stood. "Jen's taking you to the airport?"

"Yeah, my flight leaves an hour after hers."

"All right. It's earlier than you expected to go home."

"Yeah, I found an earlier flight." She shrugged. "The sooner I get back to work, the better."

"All right, let's get you packed."

Joey hugged her sister and nodded.

  
  


Dawson arrived at the Potter B&B just as Joey was putting her bags in the trunk of Gary's car. "Joey." He said with a nod. "He's crazy." Dawson tried to smile.

"I don't think so. I think he's hurt, and that's my fault."

"No, I think I'll take--"

"No you won't. I've let you two take way too much of the blame in all this. This one is on me." She raised a shoulder. "Hopefully we'll all still be able to talk, to be friends."

"Jo, I hate to salt a fresh wound--"

"But?"

"Why?"

"Why Pacey?" she clarified. "He's that guy for me, Dawson. I love him. I'm never able to say this well. Not good for a writer. He knows everything about me, the good, the bad, the times I've hurt him, the times I've deserted him and he loves me anyway." She raised her shoulder again. "I can't explain it, except to say he's completely worth the risk. I told you yesterday, I'd risk anything—even my dearest, oldest friend—to be with him."

Dawson nodded. "Like I said, he's crazy."

Joey hugged her friend and smiled as she pulled away. "I love you, Dawson."

"I love you too, Joey." And with that she slid into the backseat and watched Capeside grow smaller and smaller as they drove away.

At Logan International Airport, Jen and Gary checked their luggage and waited to board the plane. "Jo." Jen said squeezing her friend's hand. "First, thank you for bring Jack to the wedding. I think we'll be able to find some kind of...middle ground." The blonde pushed her short locks behind her ear. "Second, Dawson is right. Pacey Witter is crazy. Hurt or not. The man is insane. He loves you, and I just hope he realizes how nuts he'd acting before it's too late."

"I've loved him for so long, Jen." she choked out near tears.

"I know, and what you were telling Dawson? How he loves you despite yourself and it's hard to explain, and worth any risk. I know that feeling. It scared the hell outta me the first time I felt it. Then suddenly the world was a whole new place. Enjoy the feeling, Jo."

"Boarding Flight 236 to Honolulu." The PA sounded. 

"Have a great time, Jen."

"We will. You be good and if that insane man chases you down. Go easy on him."

Joey nodded and smiled at her friend. "Email me!" She called as Gary dragged her onto the plane.

  
  


After an hour delay Joey's plane Took off for Heathrow. With the four hour layover in London, she'd have time to run home, change, and drop off her luggage before catching the night puddle jumper to Dublin Airport. She was meeting Harleigh Heston on St. Stephen's Green. The twenty year old had turned out to be quiet the poet, and was soon publishing a collection. She wanted Joey's opinion. She rolled her shoulders and situated her laptop on her tray before settling in for the long flight, but before she typed the first word her eyes closed and she was dreaming of Pacey. His face was pained; he was nervous. Then he looked up at the stars and shook his fists. He went below deck and climbed into his hammock, and slept fitfully.

  
  


SUNSET, Sunday

A gentle if foreign hand shook her awake. She'd slept through the entire flight. Rubbing her eyes she stood to collect her case and sighed heavily. She trudged off the plane and intot he airport. Just past the gate she saw a familiar face. A pained, nervous face.

He stepped forward rubbing a hand over his unshaven chin. "Jo."

"Pacey." She stared and frowned.

"You see this scene played out one of two ways in my head." She just stared at him, lips pursed. "In the first scenario, you get off the plane, punch me, and leave me bleeding."  
  
"Crossed my mind." she said crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
"In the second scenario you run off the plane, fall into my arms, tell me all is forgiven, and we ride off into the sunset."  
  
"Middle ground, please." She said on a sigh.

He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "Absolutely."  
  
"After what you said, why are you here, Pacey?"  
  
"Because that guy who said all those things..."  
  
"You mean Pacey Witter?"  
  
"Yeah, he's an ass."  
  
"Mmm. I caught that."  
  
"Yeah. The thing is. Ah, see even though he's an ass he's desparately hoping--like flew twelve hours with 5 different change overs to get here before you hoping--You'll take him back."  
  
"And why would I do that?"  
  
"Because, He cares about you."  
  
"Really? He's got a funny way of showing it."  
  
"Yeah, about that." He grabbed his bag and rummaged through the outside pocket. "Sorry, and I got you stomething. I know how you like presents—even if you'd never admit it." He smiled at her. " But before I give you the present I have to ask. Why?"

"Why didn't I marry Dawson? You know for a bright boy you can be really daft sometimes." She quoted him. "Pacey, you are confusing, infuriating, kind, tender, loving. The one I compared everyone else to. I did it with everyone. Dawson, Eddie, even God help me Professor Wilder. None of them made me feel the way I felt with you. Maybe things like this tumble out of my mouth because I'm head over heels in love with you, but the scary thing is—it's all true." He smiled. He stepped forward and took her hand before holding her close to him. 

"Pace?"

"Mmm. 

"How do you feel about New York?"

"Good city." He pulled back and gave her a befuddled look. "I'm not asking you to come back Jo. We played that out. It was my turn to follow you and I'll do whatever I have to to be with you."

She rose on her toes and kissed his cheek."I've got a offer from the Random House office there. It's actually a promotion, and you'd be able to watch Witter's in the city and Boston and Capeside aren't too far away."

"Jo." He looked at her smile and nodded. "Sounds close to perfect."

"What would make it perfect?"

"This." He said sliding a ring on her hand without taking his eyes from hers. Unshed tears burned his throat as he dropped to one knee. Joey inhaled sharply as she felt the smooth platinum slide over her finger. She knew. She'd look down in a minute but she knew. She couldn't tear her eyes away from Pacey's.

"Joey?"

"Yes, Pacey?"

"Stay." he said simply. "Stay forever."

She smiled. "Yes."

"Marry me?" He asked again wanting to hear her answer again.

"Yes, Pacey." She whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek. He grabbed her around the waist and buried his head in her stomach. "I love you, Josephine Potter."

"I know, Witter." She played her fingers through his hair, and looked down at the ring. A square cut sapphire set in platinum, accented by bagget daimonds. She pulled back from him and puleld him to his feet. "Pace," she started looking at the ring. "It's perfect, how'd you know?"

"What?"

"The sapphire...tradition says diamond, you know."

"When have you ever known me to follow tradition?" She gave him a wry smile. "Besides, remember when we were in the Keys and went into that little mom and pop jewelry store?" She nodded. "You were so interested in the sapphires. Most girls, they'd have gone straight for the diamonds, but you studied the sapphires like they were the most amzing thing you'd ever seen."

"And you remember that?"

He smiled at her, took her bag and her hand. " I've been in love with you for years, Potter; I remember everything." He turned her into his arms and laid his lips gently on hers. For a few minutes the couple stood there clinging to one another. When they finally broke the kiss she smiled at him.

"Let's get outta here before you embarrass us both."

"I'm driving right?"

Joey looked up at him, smiled, and felt perfectly at peace for the first time in years.

  
  


  
  


  
  



	14. Epilouge: Before the Dawn

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed it's always nice to hear you're thoughts...I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm the world's biggest P/J-er they are a great couple. I could never see Joey with Dawson... or Eddie (yuck). Anyway...I'm going to give a short epilouge to tie up a few loose ends.

  
  


Epilouge: Before the Dawn

  
  


It was the thrid wedding of the year for Dawson. It was hard for him. Perhaps even harder than his own. He looked down the aisle to see his wife, blonde and glowing as she readied to deliver their first child any day. His son Dawson smiled. _Mitchell McPhee Leery_ he thought with a smile at Andie. He courtship had been fast, but sure as they realized how much they had in common and how little they'd known each other in high school. Hearing the door behind him opened he turned to lay eyes on Joey. She smiled thoughtfully as she smoothed the skirt of her white dress. Audrey, Jen, and Gayle surrounded her to chatter and wish her well. Gayle hugged her and pinned on more spot on her viel as Dawson looked on. Bessie appraoched in her Matron of Honor gown and hugged her sister with a tear crawling down her cheek. The bridal party stepped off the porch and sauntered toward the creek side deck one at a time until only Bessie and Dawson were left with Joey. Bessie turned to her sister. "I know Dad wanted to do this, but I think you may the right decision here." Joey nodded and smiled at her friend. Bessie turned and made her way to the deck. It was unusual when Joey stepped onto the deck to the strains of the Canon in D Minor but it suited her to a tee. She held Dawson's elbow and no boquet as she looked from left to right at her family and friends. The dying light of sunset danced on her chesnut hair. Halfway down the dock Pacey met Dawson and Joey, a boquet of white daisies in his hands. Joey smiled up at him, then turned to Dawson. 

"Thank you, I know this wasn't easy. I love you, Dawson." She sighed at the smile that spread over his face.

"I love you both." He nodded at Pacey and kissed Joey's cheek lightly. Andie stepped from the seat nest to them and took her husbands arm as he transferred Joey's hand to Pacey's.

Pacey beamed at her. "You sure about this?"

"Yep. You?"

"Oh, yeah." She squeezed his arm.

Twenty minutes later they both smiled as their lips met for the first time as husband and wife. Later after photo ops and cake, after the punch and the greeting Pacey lead his wife onto the deck for their first dance. The entire company chuckled as Pacey swung Joey around to the quick sway of "Let's call the whole thing off."

You say "eether" and I say "either"   
You say "neether" I say "neither" "  
Eether" "either", "neether" "neither"   
Let's call the whole thing off   
You say "potato," I say "patattah"   
You say "tomato", I say "tomata"   
Oh, let's call the whole thing off   
Oh, if we call the whole thing off   
Then we must part and oh   
If we ever part, that would break my heart   
So, I say "ursta" you say "oyster"   
I'm not gonna stop eatin' urstas just cause you say oyster,   
Oh, let's call the whole thing off   
Oh, I say "pajamas", you say "pajammas"   
You got pajamas!  
Oh, for we know we need each other so   
We'd better call the calling off off   
So let's call it off, oh let's call it off   
Oh, let's call it off, baby let's call it off   
Sugar why don't we call it off,   
I'm talking baby why call it off   
Call it off¡­   
Let's call the whole thing off   


"I love you, Witter." She smiled up at him.

"You're not so bad yourself, Witter." He grinned.


End file.
